ADHD UK has warned it will sue West Yorkshire’s NHS integrated care board over a policy that forces families to wait at least two years for ADHD and autism assessments.

Legal challenge over assessment delays

The charity says the board’s "minimum two‑year wait" breaches patients’ right to timely care and puts children at risk of worsening symptoms. In a legal letter seen by the Guardian, ADHD UK described the policy as unlawful and asked the board to reverse it.

Hundreds of families in the region, many of whom have already navigated a fragmented diagnostic pathway, could be affected. Parents report that delayed assessments often mean missed school support, delayed medication and heightened anxiety for both children and caregivers.

child and parent sitting in a hospital waiting area

Families bear the cost of waiting

One mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told the charity that her nine‑year‑old son has been on the waiting list since early 2024 and that the delay has disrupted his schooling and social development. Similar accounts have been collected by ADHD UK, which says the prolonged uncertainty can exacerbate behavioural difficulties and strain family finances.

Health‑service officials in West Yorkshire declined to comment on the legal letter, but a spokesperson for the integrated care board said it is reviewing its service delivery model amid nationwide pressures on neurodevelopmental pathways.

Wider NHS pressures

Nationally, NHS waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments have risen sharply over the past three years, according to NHS England data. The surge reflects a combination of increasing referrals, staffing shortages and limited specialist capacity.

Legal challenges to NHS waiting‑list policies are not new. In 2023, a Manchester health board faced a judicial review over similar delays in autism assessments, resulting in a court‑ordered overhaul of its triage system.

ADHD UK’s threat of judicial review could force the West Yorkshire board to accelerate assessments or reallocate resources, potentially setting a precedent for other integrated care boards.

The charity says it will file the claim within weeks, and a preliminary hearing is expected in early 2027.